Think before you dial Kishenji’s number...

Bharti Jain, ET BureauMay 8, 2010, 04.24am IST

NEW DELHI: NGOs and rights activists who are directly in touch with Naxal leaders and carry out propaganda for CPI(Maoist) at their behest will soon face action under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Centre, which is constantly monitoring the conversations of leading NGO activists and bleeding heart liberals with key Maoist leaders, has already issued a public notice warning them against propagating Maoist ideology and is now seriously contemplating booking them under UAPA for supporting a banned outfit.

"There are CPI(Maoist) documents which name some prominent sympathiser activists and specifically assign them the task of carrying out anti-government propaganda for the outfit...we have found that these activists, within hours of being contacted by the Maoists leaders, issue detailed statements against the government and its counter-Naxal forces...most of the time these statements are timed just ahead of a major anti-Naxal operation," a senior MHA official pointed out.

"We have no problem if you speak of neglect of tribals or other socio-economic factors that have led to the rise of Naxalism...but speaking for and supporting a banned outfit is a crime and those found indulging in it will be accordingly dealt with and must face action under UAPA," the official added.

MHA had on Thursday put up a public notice asking people to be extremely vigilant of the propaganda of CPI (Maoist) and not unwittingly become a victim of such propaganda. The message was essentially to discourage NGOs that are inadvertently being used by Naxalites to propagate their ideology. "There are several NGO workers who are in touch with Maoist leaders, though this may only be on account of their interest in the welfare of tribals...our public notice just cautions them not to be influenced by Maoists into supporting and endorsing their violent struggle against the state," a senior official said.

Even as the Centre's latest warning of action under Section 39 of the UAPA — which provides for a prison term of up to 10 years for those supporting a terrorist organisation with intention to further the activities of such terrorist organisations — is unlikely to target such NGOs and activists who are "inadvertently" being used by Maoists for propaganda, it will direct all those NGOs and rights activists who are regularly contacted by Maoist leaders and, within hours of such conversations, come out with press statements attacking the government for getting tough with Maoists.